Chapter 22 - THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN STEALING FROM THE DEAD
Back in New York, Valeria ordered a complete investigation into Richard Hale.
The results were devastating.
Richard had not stolen the Reed Fund directly.
He had redirected its money.
He created shell companies.
He used legitimate businesses as intermediaries.
Then he moved portions of the money into Salazar acquisitions.
The $4.8 million transaction bearing Valeria's forged signature had been one of those transfers.
Marcus had unknowingly approved several payments.
Richard had used Marcus because Marcus was ambitious, careless, and desperate to impress senior executives.
Marcus had been guilty.
But he had not been the architect.
Valeria finally understood why Marcus's thefts had seemed disconnected from the larger financial irregularities.
He had been stealing for himself.
Richard had been stealing for a system.
Daniel looked at her.
“We can take this to federal investigators.”
Valeria nodded.
“But first I want the entire board to see it.”
“Why?”
“Because I want everyone who trusted him to understand exactly what happened.”
That afternoon, she called an emergency board meeting.
Richard arrived confident.
Until he saw the documents.
Then his face went white.
Valeria placed the first file in front of him.
“You stole from my mother.”
Richard's lips trembled.
“No.”
She placed another file down.
“You stole from women she was trying to protect.”
Another.
“And you used my forged signature to hide it.”
Richard stared at the table.
May you like
For once, he had nothing to say.
---
